


Teufort High School

by Zyxen



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, I had to make one, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, So there is now one ship, The mercs have names, There are almost no high school AUs, There might be ships, but seriously, it depends, so far - Freeform, so here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-25
Updated: 2015-09-29
Packaged: 2018-04-23 06:42:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4866950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zyxen/pseuds/Zyxen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laurence is transferring to a new school. Against his will, mind you. But he'll survive. Probably.</p><p>TF2 High School AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New School

**Author's Note:**

> There are very few TF2 high school AUs. So I'm making one. Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think.
> 
> Also I already mentioned in the tags that there may or may not be ships. It depends on what you guys want. So let me know what you so desire.
> 
> That is all.

Laurence didn’t want to go to school. It was rare that any teenager would actually desire to attend school, but he was more against the idea than normal.

“I don’t see why I have to go here,” Laurence grumbled under his breath.

“It’s not a bad school,” his father said, checking his mirrors before turning the steering wheel of the car.

“Me old one wasn’t bad either,” Laurence pointed out. “And this one is farther away. I ain’t even zoned for this school and now you have to drive me there.”

His father sighed. “Laurence, we’ve been over this. I know that you don’t want to transfer schools, but this is for the best. Teufort has better academic programs than Battlefield did, it’s in a nicer area, there are less students—”

“I don’t _care_ about that, da,” Laurence cut him off. “I don’t get why I have to transfer in the middle of the bloody school year—”

“Don’t you take that tone with me, young man,” his father scowled but kept his gaze fixed on the road. “This will be better for you in the long run.”

“This is all just ‘cause I got in a fight with that one bloke, isn’t it?” It was more of an accusation than anything else.

“Laurence you broke his nose and almost took his eye out,” his father sounded exasperated now. Great. “You’re lucky that you weren’t expelled.”

“I keep telling you,” Laurence wasn’t whining. He was too mature to whine. “The bastard tried to take my head off. I had to defend myself.”

“You came out unscathed and he denies ever going near you.”

“He’s _lying_.”

“Be that as it may,” his father continued, “the best thing to do is to get away from the situation. Besides, your mother and I were already considering having you transfer over to Teufort. It just happened sooner rather than later.”

“But this ain’t fair,” Laurence protested.

“Life isn’t fair either,” his father stopped the car. “We’re here.”

“I know,” Laurence had to stop himself from growling as he grabbed his bag and stormed out of the car.

“Have a good day at school!”

 _Like hell I will,_ Laurence thought.

 

* * *

Mike and Misha were at it again.

Dell watched as the large Russian and the slender Bostonian all but spat in each other’s face, hurling insults faster than Dell could even keep track of. But boy were those two angry.

“Wonder what set ‘em off this time,” Dell mused.

“Probably something stupid,” Tavish remarked.

“Oh, that’s without a doubt,” Dell agreed. “I’m just curious _what_ stupid little thing got ‘em started now.”

Tavish shrugged. “Don’t really matter anyways. They’ll be palling around before the day ends.”

Dell chuckled. “Yeah, they will. They sure are odd, ain’t they?”

Tavish nodded. “I don’t think that I could function like that with someone. Being angry or being friends. No in between.”

“I’m pretty sure the two of ‘em like arguing,” Dell looked back at the two, their faces red and contorted. “I can’t see any other reason they would do it so dang much otherwise.”

“I suppose.”

“Hello, gentlemen.”

 Dell startled. “Dangnabit, René. Someone is gonna bash your face in if you keep sneaking up on people.”

 The little vermin had the nerve to smile at him.

 “Ay, Frenchie,” Tavish greeted lazily. “What have you been up to?”

 “Not too much,” René said. “I am simply waiting at the moment and decided that some company would be appreciated.”

 “What are you waiting for?” Dell asked. He may not like René all too much, but he wasn’t a bad guy and Dell could at least be civil.

 “An acquaintance,” he answered vaguely.

 “You gotta do better than that,” Tavish declared. “Be a wee bit more specific for once.”

 “He’s an acquaintance of mine,” René repeated.

 “Yeah, we got that.”

 “He’s transferring to our school,” René continued. “I thought that I would greet him.”

 “Where’s he transferring from?” Dell asked.

 “Battlefield High School, I believe.”

 “That ain’t exciting,” Tavish complained. “Woulda been interesting if he were from somewhere exotic.”

 “He’s Australian,” René supplied.

“Whatever,” the Scotsman said. He stood up. “I’m gonna go to homeroom. See you around.”

 Dell waved goodbye. He turned to René again but he was already gone.

 How did he even do that?

 

* * *

Laurence didn’t like people as a general rule of thumb. They were loud and rude and stupid. And this school was full of them.

  _Less students my ass,_ Laurence thought, glaring at anyone who dared to make eye contact with him in the crowded halls. There were far too many other people here.

 Once the crowd thinned out, Laurence was able to look over the schedule that he had printed off. He somehow had to find his homeroom in a school that he was completely unfamiliar with before the bell rang. Fantastic.

 “Well if it isn’t the—”

 Laurence whipped his arm out, elbowing René in the chest. René promptly doubled over and clutched at his abdomen.

 “You complete and utter barbarian,” he hissed out.

 “Don’t think that I can’t recognize your voice, you bloody frog,” Laurence retorted. “That’s what you get for sneaking up on me.”

“So cruel,” René said, dramatic effect lost when he straightened out and rolled his eyes. “And here I was going to offer you a hand in guiding you around the school.”

“Like hell you were.”

“Well you will simply never know,” René sniffed. “Good luck stumbling through the halls.” He spun on his heel and stalked off.

“I don’t need luck,” Laurence snapped. René was such a stuck up bastard sometimes.

Laurence looked back down at his schedule. Okay, so maybe if he—

“Howdy.”

Oh great, a person.

Laurence looked up.

“The name’s Dell,” the person in front of him said. “I take it that you’re René’s acquaintance?”

“Something like that,” Laurence drawled.

The guy—Laurence had already forgotten the guy’s name but names were stupid anyway—offered him a smile. “Do you think that you could use some help finding your way ‘round?”

Huh. Laurence decided that he liked this guy more than the average person he encountered. “That’d be great, actually.” He handed over his schedule.

“Hm,” the guy read it over. “Your homeroom is actually pretty close. On the opposite end of the school as your first block though. Rotten luck.”

“I guess.” Laurence didn’t particularly care.

“Anywho,” he continued, “it shouldn’t be too hard to find your way around. Order of the classroom numbers actually make sense here. It might be a bit tricky, but you should be fine. Just remember that room that are in the two hundreds are on the second floor.”

Laurence nodded. “Thanks, mate.”

“Any time,” he smiled again. “Now go on, get.”

 

* * *

Laurence was done. Just… done with everything.

Homeroom hadn’t been terrible and he had just barely made it there on time. Just a few loud pricks, but nothing that he wasn’t used to being annoyed with. Hell, even his first two classes didn’t seem to be terrible and the teachers seemed alright.

The only thing that he truly had a problem with were the hallways. Jesus fuck, they were crowded. Laurence felt ridiculously claustrophobic, strangers jostling into him and pressing against him and it was loud and too fast and just too much. 

And now that lunch was going on it was even worse. 

For whatever reason, the school didn’t seem to have a cafeteria area and everyone ate at the same time. That meant the hallways were littered with people that were talking at obnoxious levels of noise. Laurence could hardly walk through. 

He had to find somewhere that was quiet. 

Laurence navigated himself around people sitting on the floor, scanning for any place that could offer some semblance of shelter. Most of the doors leading into classrooms were closed, and those that were open had too many students in them to be desirable. 

It was only when Laurence turned into one of the back hallways (that still was polluted with way too many people, where did they all come from?) that he saw a door that was slightly ajar. Despite telling himself not to, Laurence felt some aspect of hope rise in his chest. He opened the door wider. He couldn’t hear anything from the inside. 

Oh thank all that was holy and good in the world. 

Laurence swung the door far enough to step in before quickly stepping in and closing it behind him. He turned around.

 _Oh shit._  

There was someone else in the room. He was standing over a counter table thing with various beakers and flasks and other extremely science looking stuff that Laurence couldn’t really identify. The space that wasn’t occupied with those materials was completely covered in what looked like handwritten sheets of paper.

Everything would have been fine but there was another person. 

Fuck it all. 

“What are you doing here?” The guy asked, pushing up his round glasses up to rest higher on his nose. He had an accent that Laurence couldn’t quite identify off the top of his head. 

“I…” Laurence wasn’t quite sure how to respond. This guy was… kind of intimidating, actually. Maybe it was his eyes or his posture or his aura but something about him radiated hostility. “Not even gonna ask who I am?” 

That wasn’t what he meant to say. 

The bloke just stared at him. “I don’t particularly care. I’ll ask again, what are you doing here?” 

“I’m just,” Laurence wasn’t stammering. He was mature, dammit. He had standards. “I’m trying to find a quiet place to eat lunch, alright? This place didn’t seem to be painfully loud so I came in.” 

Laurence could practically feel the other’s eyes boring into him. They simply stared at each other for a few moments. 

“Fine.”

“What?” Laurence felt his eyebrows rise.

“You can stay here,” he said. “I don’t particularly mind if you stay here. So long as you’re quiet, but we seem to have that interest in common.”

“Oh.” 

The student gestured towards a wooden table that was nestled in the corner of the room that was nearest to him. “Feel free to sit down and do what you will. I only ask that you don’t disturb me.” 

“Thanks,” Laurence dipped his head and made his way over to sit down in the chair.

The other guy went back to doing… whatever it was that he was doing. Laurence couldn’t say for sure, but he could tell that the guy sure knew what he was doing. His movements were fluid and precise, eyes not leaving the task that he was focused on and hands steady. Laurence almost felt himself become the tiniest bit impressed. 

Laurence leaned back in the plastic chair as best he could and closed his eyes. It wasn’t silent. No, he could hear the faint clink of glass or the scratching of pencil on paper or the shifts of movement that the guy was making. It wasn’t silent, but it was quiet.

Laurence found himself rather liking the little nook he had discovered.

 

* * *

“Wake up.”

Laurence felt his body jostled slightly as his eyes blinked open. “Wha—?” 

“You fell asleep,” the bloke removed his hand from Laurence’s shoulder and took a step back. “Class is going to start in five minutes. I saw it fit to wake you up.” 

Laurence just stared at the guy. 

“What?” 

“Nothing,” Laurence shook his head, “just kinda nice of you.”

He rolled his eyes. “I may not be the best of people but I am not cruel.” 

“Just, you know, thank you,” Laurence said. 

“You’re welcome.”

“I can come here tomorrow, right?” Laurence asked before he could think it through.

“I don’t see why not if you continue to not be an annoyance.”

“Alright,” Laurence stood up and stretched his arms over his head. “Thanks again.”

The guy was already back at his equipment and waved a hand dismissively, not even looking up.

Laurence left the room in a better mood than he had entered it in.

 

* * *

“Oh bloody fuck,” Laurence muttered.

René grinned smugly at him. “It seems that we have this class together, bushman.”

“Unfortunately,” Laurence rolled his eyes, sitting next to René.

“Have you managed to find your classes?” René asked.

“Of course I did,” Laurence scoffed. “What kinda tracker do you take me for?”

René smirked. “Not a good one, honestly.”

“Why you—” 

“Now, now,” René held up his hands in a placating gesture, “you wouldn’t want to start another fight, would you?”

Laurence’s expression was completely deadpan. “I ain’t even surprised that you know about that.” 

“Pity,” René said idly. “It’s always hilarious to see you gape like a fish.”

Laurence just glared.

René opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by the bell. The teacher called for the class’s attention and just like that their conversation was ended.

 

* * *

Laurence walked out of the school, fighting his way through more people, way too many people. He somehow managed to get away from the seemingly never-ending stream of students that flowed from the building. A car honk caught his attention and he turned to see the source of the noise. It was his father. 

Laurence walked over and pulled the door open, all but flopping into the seat. 

“So,” his father asked, “how was school.”

Laurence met his eyes. “Not terrible.”

And he knew that was the truth.


	2. Meet the Rest of Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I spent way too much time writing this over such a short period of time. My updates probably won't be this fast most of the time. Anyway, I'm posting this now for your reading pleasure. More characters make a more prominent appearance here so yay for that.

Laurence still didn’t want to go to school, but it was the regular not wanting to go to school, not the more than average wanting to run away.

Teufort wasn’t bad. Not really. Okay sure, there were way too many people in it but the teachers actually seemed competent and Laurence actually had a quiet place that he could hide out in during lunch. And the few people that he had somewhat actively interacted with seemed bearable. Except René. Screw the bloody Frenchman.

His sleep-fogged mind vaguely registered the sound of someone entering the room.

“Laurence you were supposed to wake up ten minutes ago,” he recognized the voice of his mother. “You need to start getting ready or your dad will be late.”

Laurence grumbled into the pillows, his response unintelligible.

“You have to get out of bed, Laurence,” his mother said, standing over the teen’s bed.

Actually no, it was more that he didn’t want to get up. He was warm and comfortable and he didn’t want to move.

“Don’t wanna,” Laurence’s words were muffled by the pillows, face still buried into them. Why did school have to start so damn early anyways?

“Laurence if you don’t get out of bed you’re grounded. No leaving the house except for school and no electronics.”

Laurence heaved a mighty groan before he slunk out of his bed. His eyes were still closed and his mind was fuzzy around the edges.

“Get ready,” his mother told him. “If you’re quick enough you’ll get to eat your breakfast.”

“Fine, fine,” Laurence grumbled.

He still didn’t want to go to school.

 

* * *

 

 

“Bye, Laurence,” his father said, dropping his son off.

“See you, da,” Laurence left the car, giving a small wave without looking behind him.

He stared at the school in front of him as his father drove away. Traffic hadn’t been completely terrible this morning so he had arrived maybe half an hour early. Now he just had to keep himself entertained. Or find a quiet area to wait for the first bell.

The room that he had spent his lunch in came to mind. Maybe there would be more people there, but hopefully it would offer some protection from the chaos that was the hallways of the school.

Mind made up, Laurence adjusted the grip on his bag and walked towards the building. He opened the heavy doors of the entrance and stepped into the weird lobby but not really part of the building. Some students were milling around, others scrambling to finish homework at the last minute. Laurence kept his gaze fixed forward, not bothering to spare anyone more than a solitary glance.

He couldn’t exactly recall where the room had been, but he was pretty sure that he had a general idea. If he turned here—

It was only thanks to his instincts and amazing reflexes that he was able to dodge the person that was sprinting. They bumped shoulders rather roughly, but it was better than getting completely run over.

“Sorry!” Whoever it was yelled, tossing the words over his shoulder, still maintaining the same breakneck pace. He hardly sounded winded. Laurence glared after him, swearing under his breath.

It took a few more seconds for a familiar figure rounded the corner.

“Bloody frog,” Laurence greeted a panting René amiably.

“Uncultured bushman,” René replied in turn.

“So what exactly are you doing?”

“Chasing that”—René pointed a finger in the direction that the kid had run off in, arm moving with his rather heavy breathing—“little swine down.”

“Huh,” Laurence slid his hands in his pockets, regarding the nigh empty hallway. “What did he do to piss you off?”

René huffed at him. Or he was still just catching his breath. “Nothing of importance.”

“Then why are you chasing after him?”

René gave Laurence a long-suffering look. “For whatever unfathomable reason, he decided that it would be hilarious to pour milk all over my papers.”

Laurence felt a puff of air leave his mouth, hardly even a laugh. He could feel his lips twitching up into a smirk. “That’s actually pretty funny, René.”

René scowled at him. “Of course you would find such childish antics amusing. I shouldn’t have expected anything more.” 

“Oi, I’ll have you know that I’m pretty fucking mature,” Laurence said.

“Sure you are,” René rolled his eyes. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a student to… _chat_ with.”

“Lord forbid that you get your hands on the poor bastard.”

René flashed him an almost savage smirk. “He won’t be so lucky, I’m afraid.”

With that, René stalked off down the hall.

Laurence honestly wouldn’t have been surprised if the kid ended up dead, thrown into a river somewhere. An angry René was never a René to take lightly.

Only pausing for a few more moments, Laurence resumed his trek. Now where exactly was that back hallway…

 

* * *

 

“FuckMishasaveme.”

The large hulking mass of a man (he could hardly be considered a boy) watched as Mike all but clambered up his side. He could hardly feel the weight of the smaller student.

“What happened?” Misha asked. Mike looked absolutely terrified.

“I spilled my milk on some of his papers,” Mike explained in a rush, making his way up onto Misha’s shoulder. “I swear it was an accident, I was just pretending that I was gonna do it but then Jayne came in and started yelling and he startled me and—”

“You need to calm down,” Misha interjected.

“I fucking _can’t_ ,” Mike seemed to have ceased his scrambling for the moment. “René is coming after me. He’s going to kill me.”

Misha frowned slightly at that. Mike could be annoying sometimes, _very_ annoying, but he was still his friend. “Did you tell him it was accident?”

“No,” Mike stated. “I was a bit too busy running away when he made a grab at his scissors.”

Misha’s frown deepened. “Then you should tell him now.”

“Oh fuck no,” Mike protested. “He’ll gut me alive if I get anywhere near him.”

“I mean with me,” Misha elaborated.

“Oh,” he felt Mike’s body lose some of its tension. “Yeah. Good idea. Let’s do that.”

And so Misha started walking in the direction that Mike had come from, the smaller still perched on him. It didn’t take long for him to see René down the hall.

“Greetings,” the Frenchman spoke the words like he would rather be having his teeth pulled out.

“Do not hurt Mike,” Misha stated bluntly.

“I was going to do no such action—”

“You little piece of lying shit!” Mike all but screamed. “You’re totally out for my blood!”

“Mike,” Misha said, “tell René.”

“Tell me what?” René crossed him arms.

“I’m sorry,” Mike sounded like saying it pained him. “I didn’t actually mean to ruin your stuff. I guess I can help you try to explain it to your teachers or something if you need me to.”

René regarded the two of them for a moment. Then he sniffed. “Fine then. They weren’t of much importance. I suppose I overreacted.” He flashed a small smile to the two of them. “I shall be on my way then. Have a nice day.”

Misha stood there watching as René walked away. Once he was out of earshot, Mike spoke.

“Okay so I’m probably less dead. But how dead do you think I’m gonna be now?”

“You stay by me for rest of day.”

“Yeah that sounds good,” Mike sighed. He sounded relieved. “You’re the best, Misha.”

He lifted a hand to pat at Mike’s back. “I know.”

 

* * *

 

“And then his head exploded!” Tavish declared, hands animating his words.

“Ha!” Jayne barked a laugh out from behind a crooked smile. “That’s how to properly deal with an opponent. I approve of his methods.”

“Ay, it sure was something,” Tavish agreed. “Great movie. I didn’t get a few parts, but it was good.”

“You boys talking about some action movie again?” Dell drawled out, looking up from the blueprint that he was working on.

“Affirmative,” Jayne responded. “It sounds like a good movie. I want to see it.”

“You could come over to my place,” Tavish offered. “I got it on DVD.”

“That is agreeable,” Jayne answered.

Dell huffed in fond exasperation at the two. “You both are gonna blow something up one day and get yourselves killed.”

“Not killed,” Tavish corrected. “Maybe get an eye blown out, but not killed.”

“I am too strong for something like fire to kill me so easily,” Jayne informed.

“Both of you are crazy,” Dell said.

Tavish grinned. “What’s life without a bit of fun?”

“Gentlemen.”

Dell stopped himself from flinching my sheer force of will. “I thought that I asked you to stop sneaking up on me.”

“You did,” René said, slipping into one of the open seats at the small table. When he didn’t continue, Dell took it as a ‘I heard you and acknowledge what you’re saying but I’m not going to listen.’

“Does Mike still have all his limbs?” Tavish asked.

“He does,” René replied. “If Misha had not decided to defend him then I cannot be certain that my response would be the same.”

“He didn’t mean to, René,” Dell tried to reason.

“He acted like a scared little girl at a bit of noise and then couldn’t stand up for himself,” Jayne said. “He has to man up.”

René’s face twisted slightly with worry. “I am not sure how concerned I should be that we seem to be in agreement.”

“There you go,” Jayne smirked. “Now you’re thinking like a true American.”

Dell couldn’t help but laugh at the disgust in the Frenchman’s face.

 

* * *

 

Laurence found the room again with minimal difficulty. The door was cracked open slightly like it had been the other day and a light was on. Laurence swung it out wider and stepped in.

The same guy as yesterday was there. He was at a different table, scribbling notes onto once blank paper.

Laurence cleared his throat. The bloke looked up at the sound. “G’day.”

“Yes, hello,” he said. He looked back down at his notes and sighed heavily. 

“Homework?” Laurence asked. He wasn’t much for small talk, but he was curious enough to entertain it at the moment. Whatever class this guy took sure was brutal.

“Nein,” he answered. Laurence didn’t quite understand the word, but he guessed at its meaning.

“What’s all this”—he gestured vaguely at the entirety of the room—“for then?”

“Personal work.”

Laurence blinked. “You’re doing all this for fun?”

A shrug. “I suppose.”

“Huh.”

“Yes, quite,” he said. “Now if you don’t mind, I am attempting to concentrate on this. So if you would please—”

“I gotcha,” Laurence cut him off. “Was just curious is all.”

His only response was a distracted hum.

Laurence took a seat in one of the many empty chairs and simply stared out the window on the adjacent wall, watching the clouds creep across the sky. He observed every detail. Noted the changing shape of one of the clouds as the wind propelled into it. Saw the stark white bird that was resting on a branch of one of the trees.

This was how Laurence preferred things; watching and storing information. It was a very René-like trait. Stupid frog was probably rubbing off on him. Oh well. There were (probably) worse people to be like.

Laurence remained there until he heard the first warning bell ring. He muttered a few curses under his breath as he stood from his seat.

The other guy didn’t even seem to pause in what he was doing.

“Homeroom is gonna start soon,” Laurence supplied.

“I know,” he still didn’t pause. “You should start going now.”

“Don’t you need to go too?”

Finally, he looked up. “You needn’t concern yourself over that.”

“Alright then,” Laurence mentally shrugged it off. It wasn’t his business and he was mature enough to respect that. “See you at lunch.”

“Sure.” 

What a strange bloke.

 

* * *

 

Laurence had barely managed to stay awake for his first class of the day. It was just so _boring_ and he hadn’t slept nearly enough. He would be surprised if he remembered anything from the lesson at all.

Well whatever. He took a seat at a desk in what was to be his next class. He just had to survive a few more hours then he was home free. Until tomorrow, at least.

A small noise caught his attention and he looked to his left. Some guy was sitting next to him. Laurence was pretty sure that his hair was dyed because there was almost no way such a vibrant orange was natural. It looked like it had been taken right out of a shittily drawn rainbow for Christ’s sake.

The redhead grinned at him and waved.

“Hi,” Laurence said at length when the other didn’t say anything. Suddenly the guy’s hands were moving in various shapes. Laurence watched until the hands came to rest on their owner’s lap.

“If you’re trying to express yourself through some sort of interpretive dance then you’re utterly failing,” Laurence deadpanned.

The redhead seemed to be giggling at him but not a sound escaped him. He produced a sheet of paper and a pencil. He scrawled on it before handing it to Laurence. He read the hasty scribblings.

_My name is Brendan. I’m mute._

“Oh,” Laurence blinked. “Sorry, mate.”

Brendan took the paper and pencil back and wrote again. _It’s fine._

“Alright,” Laurence said. “Nice to meet you, I suppose.”

Brendan grinned brightly at him. Laurence took it to mean that the sentiment was returned.

 _I don’t think that I’ve seen you before,_ Laurence read the words as Brendan wrote them down. _Are you new here?_

“I am,” Laurence answered. It was weird to be in a conversation with someone and be the only one talking.

Brendan cocked his head to the side, curious. Laurence found himself saved by the bell, effectively pulling the class’s attention to the teacher, him and Brendan included. 

Personal questions were better off unasked.

 

* * *

 

Laurence left the classroom, Brendan waving him off. Laurence decided that he didn’t hate the guy. Being mute probably helped, though. Brendan seemed like the type to never shut up. If he could talk, that was.

Laurence quickly located the room for the second time that day, ducking inside without hesitation. The door clicked shut behind him.

“Oh,” the bloke looked up, acknowledging Laurence’s existence. “It’s lunch already?”

“Yeah,” Laurence’s brows furrowed. “Have you been in here since this morning?”

He mostly meant it as a joke which is why he was so surprised when the guy responded, “Yes.”

“Wait, really?” Laurence was dumbfounded. “Don’t you have class?”

“Technically,” he stretched the word out as he said it.

“Technically?”

“I may have tested out of all the mandatory courses I had to take,” he answered after a pause. 

“So you’re a bloody genius, then,” Laurence said.

“You could say that,” he responded. “They don’t know what to do with me so I’ve been given free reign of this lab. No one has even used it in ages.”

“Huh,” Laurence was pretty sure that something like this wasn’t really allowed but who was he to say anything about it?

Conversation apparently over, he sat in the same chair as earlier and took out the lunch that his mother had made for him. He had neglected to eat yesterday only because he had slept through the period. He bit into his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. He swallowed.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Pardon?”

“Aren’t you going to eat something,” Laurence reiterated. “You know, for lunch.”

“No.”

Well then.

“I have some yogurt,” Laurence said. “Don’t know why me mum packs it, I can’t stand the bloody stuff.”

The guy was looking at him oddly.

“I ain’t gonna eat it,” Laurence continued. “It’s yours if you want it.”

They held eye contact for a moment.

“I’m fine, thank you,” he said. And with that he was back to working.

Oh well. At least he had tried. Laurence sat back against the chair and resumed eating his lunch, neither of them speaking for the remainder of the period.

 

* * *

 

Mike kept looking over his shoulder every few seconds. He knew that it wasn’t a question of if René would strike, but of when and how hard.

Thank god that him and Misha weren’t in another one of their little arguments or else he wouldn’t have a giant wall of flesh and muscle to help defend him from the sleazy frog. Really, how was the jerk even popular? Girls (and a few guys) practically worshipped the ground that René walked on. Teachers thought he was a good student. It was disgusting.

“Stop worrying.”

“I can’t, big guy,” Mike said. “That sneaky creep is probably just waiting for the perfect moment to stab me in the back or something.”

“If René hurts Mike,” Misha declared, “then I will hurt René equally.”

“Heh,” Mike smiled a bit. “If Jayne were here he’d probably start going on about the evils of communism.”

“Yes,” Misha said.

“But man, fuck the government,” Mike continued. “Why can’t we just, I dunno, just make sure that everyone is gonna have what they need.”

Misha turned to look at him. “You say smart things sometimes.”

“Thanks.”

“Is weird.”

“You little fucker—”

Misha smirked at him. “Eat your food.”

“Ugh, fine,” Mike shoveled the pizza into his mouth. Sure, school food didn’t taste great, but it wasn’t anything that he couldn’t handle. “You can be a real bastard when you want to, you know that?”

“You can be really annoying when you want to,” Misha retorted. After a moment’s thought, he added, “and even when you do not want to.” 

“Yeah yeah,” Mike dismissed the comment. “You’re just full of snark today, aren’t you.” 

“Snark?” Misha asked.

“Basically sarcasm but with sass,” Mike explained. Misha didn’t have the best understanding of English and some words just went over his head. But hell, Mike was barely getting by in Spanish. Anyone who could even learn the smallest parts of another language had his respect.

“Ah,” Misha nodded. “Yes, I am full of snark today.”

“There you go,” Mike took another bite of his pizza slice.

Misha looked slightly above Mike’s head. “Dell.”

Mike turned in his seat and sure enough there stood the Texan. “’Sup man.”

“Hey you two,” Dell said. “Have either of you happened to see Jayne around? I can’t seem to find him for some reason and he needs help with his math homework before the class starts.”

“Not recently,” Mike said. “Maybe…”

“What?”

It worked on tumblr so maybe it would work in real life.

Mike jumped up on top of the table and cupped his hands around his mouth. As loud as he could, he yelled out, “America is stupid and it sucks!” People started to stare at him but whatever.

“Mike just what in tarnation do you—”

“Where are you?” A furious voice echoed through the hall to the left. 

“Found him,” Mike smirked, clambering off the table.

Dell just stared at him. “I can’t even believe that worked.”

Mike shrugged. “What can I say? I’m just that awesome.”

“And loud,” Misha remarked.

Mike ignored him. “Oh hey, have you seen René at all?”

Dell regarded him curiously. “You looking for him?”

“Trying to avoid him, actually.”

“Haven’t seen him,” Dell sounded apologetic. “Now if ya’ll will excuse me, I think I best go and calm Jayne down.”

“Have fun,” Mike called after him as he left.

“You are still too worried about René,” Misha commented.

“Can never be too careful around that creep,” Mike said.

He’d just have to watch his back for a bit, was all. René would forget eventually. 

Even as he thought it he scoffed at the idea. If there was anyone that could hold a grudge until his dying breath it would be the fucking frog.

 

* * *

 

Laurence’s last class had dismissed early for some reason. He didn’t know why but sure as hell wasn’t complaining about it. It just meant that he could rush out of the school before the hallways filled themselves to the brim with other students.

It was due to his hurry that Laurence found himself walking directly into a moving pillar.

A quick step backwards and Laurence realized that it was simply another person. A huge giant one, but a person.

“Watch where you’re going, why don’t you,” the pseudo giant growled—actually _growled_ —at him.

“Yeah, sorry mate.” Normally Laurence would have come up with some witty comeback, but he was smart enough not to try that with a person that looked as though he could snap him in half. Laurence had a sense of self-preservation, thank you very much.

“Hmph,” the bloke narrowed his eyes at him. Then without a word he lumbered off, stupid tails of a little blue bandana thing jostling with every step he took.

“Ruddy fucking bastard,” Laurence muttered under his breath once he couldn’t see him anymore. This was exactly why he couldn’t stand people.

Whatever. That was just life. He just had to survive day to day and he’d be fine. And he could definitely do that. He was almost a mature adult. There was almost nothing that he couldn’t handle on his own.

And he should really start moving before the hallways flooded instead of just standing there like an idiot.

Laurence walked through the corridors towards the exit. All in all, it hadn’t been a bad day. He had gotten to see René pissed off, had been able to get some downtime before school and during lunch, and he had even made something that resembled a friendship with… what was his name, Brendan? If not then it was something close to that.

Laurence stepped out of the school and into the sun. It felt nice to finally be outside again.

He quickly scanned the immediate area and quickly located his father’s car. He made his way over to it and opened the door.

“How was school?”

Laurence simply shrugged in way of answer. 

“Make any friends?”

“Maybe.” 

His father fixed an amused look on him before he pulled out on the main street. “How do you maybe have a friend?”

“I didn’t hate him,” Laurence said. “And he seems friendly. So maybe.”

“You’re an odd child, Laurence.”

“Weird makes the world go around.”

“Sure it does, kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know what happened but I feel like Mike and Misha kind of took over. Also for those of you who are wondering or don't know, Brendan is Pyro. Let me know what you think.


	3. Monday is Evil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, I am writing a lot. This idea has taken me by storm and I'm not letting go of it.
> 
> Okay, so I want to know if anyone wants a certain ship to happen over the course of this story. Because the plot (yes, there is going to be some semblance of a plot) is going to pick up soon and it will probably influence the interactions that certain characters have. So if you want a ship, please speak up.

For the first time in a long time, Laurence actually felt not completely terrible about going to school.

“Bye da,” Laurence waved as he left the car.

“Have a good day at school,” his father said.

Laurence walked towards the building, eyes still somewhat heavy with sleep.

Laurence had found himself falling into the pattern of going to a completely new school more quickly than he would have thought. He and René would squabble whenever their paths crossed, sarcastic quips launching back and forth. Hell, the teacher in the one class that they shared together had to separate them at one point because she didn’t want to put up with it. Brendan would converse (?) with him during class, sunny expression fixed on the mute student’s face. Every day during lunch he would go to the back labs and eat quietly, occasionally making small talk with its only other occupant, offering his yogurt and having it refused politely every time. He even learned Dell’s name, the kind bloke that had offered him assistance in locating his first few classes on his first day of attending the place.

Laurence was almost pleasantly surprised when the weekend finally rolled around. It felt as though the time had passed faster than normal. Not that Laurence was complaining.

He had spent the two days off catching up on several assignments that his teachers had given him between video games and simply walking outside, enjoying the oddly warm early spring weather.

But that was over now and the first day of the school week had reared its ugly head. Monday was always the hardest day of the week, having to readjust to a normal sleep schedule and being forced to actually go to school again.

There was a rather large amount of students flowing into the school seeing as classes started in a bit less than ten minutes. It also meant that there wasn’t enough time to duck into the labs before going to homeroom but whatever. Laurence couldn’t say that he was used to the absurd amount of people that were shoved into the building, but he didn’t feel as claustrophobic about it anymore. Still, large crowds were better off avoided so far as he was concerned.

Swinging his bag over one shoulder, Laurence entered the massive swarm of students.

 

* * *

 

Dell was getting annoyed.

Now Dell always thought of himself as the patient type, someone who could put up with quite a bit and still manage to put a smile on his face. But lord above, Mike was being obnoxious.

The Bostonian was practically clinging onto him, hardly giving Dell any space. It was getting suffocating.

“So why can’t you just go find Misha and have him buffer you from René again?” Dell asked, exasperation coloring his tone.

“I told you,” Mike all but hissed, “we’re arguing.”

“About what?”

Mike opened his mouth. Closed it. Furrowed his eyebrows. “Huh. I don’t even remember.”

Dell sighed. “Mike, René probably ain’t even angry anymore. It’s been a week.”

Mike fixed him with a hard look. “That’s lie and we both know it, man.”

He had a point.

“Just say sorry to Misha,” Dell reasoned. “If you don’t make an ass outta yourself you might have a chance.”

Mike threw his head back and groaned. “Fine, I will. But if I die, it’s your fault.”

Dell stifled a sigh of relief as Mike finally stepped back from him and went running off to wherever it was that he was going. Poor kid was probably being too paranoid about the whole thing. Then again, this _was_ René that they were talking about. You could never be too safe when it came to René.

“Ay, Dell!”

Dell turned in the direction of the voice, spotting Tavish lazily waving at him, Jayne standing as stiff as a board beside him.

“Hey you two,” Dell smiled as he approached them. “I see that you’re both still in one piece.”

“Of course we are,” Jayne barked out the words. Then again, that was his usual manner of talking. “Why would we not be?”

“I take it that you didn’t blow anything up then,” Dell said.

Tavish shrugged. “We set off a few fireworks. Nothing dangerous or anything.”

“So long as you’re still breathing,” Dell chuckled. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go talk to someone before the bell rings. I suggest that you boys get going.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Tavish dismissed him. “See you at lunch.”

Dell waved them off as he set to weaving in between the other students that were making their way through the hallways. It was only when he came to one of the lesser-used hallways that he slowed his pace. He stopped completely outside of a single door that stood slightly ajar.

Dell entered.

“Hey there,” the Texan drawled.

“Yes, hello,” the only other person in the room greeted. “What do you need help with?”

“You’re assuming that I need help, huh?” Dell asked.

He shrugged. “I highly doubt that this is a social visit.”

“Guess you’re right then,” Dell said. He walked further into the room and laid a manila folder on one of the cluttered tabletops. “I was wondering if you could look this over for me, make sure there ain’t any gaping holes in it.”

A twitch of the lips. “Physically or metaphorically?”

“Both,” Dell answered. “You need anything?”

“Not at this moment in time, no.” He looked up at Dell. “I will let you know should I require your assistance.”

“I’d be happy to help.” 

“I know. Now go on or you’ll be late for your classes. Which, for whatever reason, you’ve decided that you still want to take.” 

“Not everyone hates being in class.”

He breathed out a skeptical laugh. “Sure they don’t.”

“Well I don’t,” Dell amended. “I’ll see you around then.”

“Only if you come looking for me.”

 

* * *

 

 

Brendan decided that he liked Laurence.

Laurence had all but shrugged off the fact that he was mute, which was actually really great. Most people started to act like he was deaf too, that just because he couldn’t talk meant that he couldn’t hear either. Or they would start acting nice. Not the real kind of nice, but the fake type of nice that tasted of burnt plastic.

Laurence wasn’t really nice, but he wasn’t mean either. He just acted like Laurence.

That’s why Brendan liked him. It was nice to be treated as an equal rather than an invalid.

Currently, the two of them were sitting next to each other, copying down the words on the whiteboard as the teacher droned on and on and on. It was so _boring_.

Brendan wasn’t even aware that his foot had moving until he felt the slight ache of his ankle. He had a habit of tapping or fidgeting or moving or doing something whenever he was sitting. It was just so hard to be still when he was expected to give all his concentration on something that he didn’t even want to pay attention to.

If Laurence wasn’t as focused as he was on whatever it was that the teacher was saying, Brendan probably would have slipped him a note, something he had taken to doing when he noted that both of them were bored out of their minds. As it was though, Laurence seemed appeared to actually be being somewhat attentive to the lesson. Oh well.

Brendan simply looked back down at his paper and started to doodle in the margins. Unicorns and lollipops and rainbows started to take form as his pencil scribbled over the paper, hardly even hearing a word that the teacher spoke.

It was her own fault for being so boring, anyway.

 

* * *

 

 

Laurence stepped into the lab not long after classes had been dismissed for lunch. As always, its only other occupant was working on whatever it was he was doing when Laurence came in.

“How was your morning?” Laurence was already making his way to his chair.

“Not terrible,” the bloke answered, still engrossed in his work. “Yours?”

Laurence shrugged. “I didn’t hate it.”

“Not hating things is good.”

And that was that. They would exchange a few words in greeting and then largely ignore each other for the rest of lunch until Laurence decided to offer up his yogurt. Sure, the situation and clipped conversations were a bit awkward, but fuck if Laurence didn’t appreciate being with someone who could keep their mouth shut for an extended period of time. It was odd to feel so indebted to another person and then to not even know their name.

_Well that can be fixed._

“Laurence.”

“What?” The guy looked up. 

“My name,” Laurence said. “I’m Laurence.”

For a moment afterwards Laurence was afraid that this guy wouldn’t quite understand the magnitude of the gesture, that he was willingly giving up his name without prompt to some bloke that he had hardly talked to.

Then he smiled. It was small, but it was there. “Nice to meet you, Laurence. My name is Klaus.”

And just like that a bit of the awkward left the room. “Klaus, huh? Not a bad name. I’ve been meaning to ask, you’re German aren’t you? I’m pretty sure that’s what your accent is, anyways.”

“Austrian, actually,” Klaus responded. “But I get that a lot. And you’re Australian, yes?”

“Hit the nail on the head, mate,” Laurence couldn’t believe it. He was making small talk and doing it successfully. He deserved a reward or something for this.

“Well it’s nice to finally have a name to a face,” Klaus said.

Laurence shrugged. “Yeah, it is. Though don’t blame me if I forget it by tomorrow.”

“I won’t,” Klaus hadn’t quite turned back to his work yet. Laurence noticed that he was wringing his hands and that his eyes were glancing off to the side.

“What?” Laurence finally asked.

“Uh,” Klaus cleared his throat. He gaze Laurence a sheepish look. “Does the offer for yogurt still stand?”

 Laurence simply tossed him the cup and the spoon.

 

* * *

 

 

René chuckled as he watched Mike plead for forgiveness from Misha. It was amusing to see the proud teen grovel at another’s feet. It was a pity that René didn’t have his phone on him; otherwise he would have recorded the entire thing for blackmail later.

As it stood now, he was satisfied simply watching everything play out. Mike was so paranoid about the whole thing and scared enough that he was willing to flat out beg Misha to protect him.

Not that René was going to do anything. Sure, he wasn’t happy about it and he still wanted revenge but he wasn’t stupid. Even if he somehow got back at Mike while he and Misha were fighting, René would still have to face the consequences when the two were back to being friends. And if there was one thing René had besides amazing looks and killer stealth, it was a sense of self-preservation.

René continued to watch. It seemed that Mike was getting through to the Russian. It wouldn’t be much longer before they were happily stuffing food in their faces together.

Fun over, René sighed and went off to go find something else to entertain him.

Dell, Jayne, and Tavish were always a viable option, but René didn’t want to put up with their level of noise today. He could always charm his way into some group of girls and eat with them. Then again, he could do that any day and it hardly presented a challenge.

Laurence came to his mind. He hadn’t actually seen the ruffian during any of the lunch periods during the time the bushman had started to attend Teufort. That in itself wasn’t odd, seeing as Laurence almost always kept to himself. If René could find him, it might pose somewhat interesting.

Mind made up, René started to look around the school. He had a barbarian to annoy.

 

* * *

 

 

“Misha I am so sorry,” Mike was on his knees—his fucking knees—before Misha. “I was being terrible and it was all my fault.”

Misha watched as Mike begged him for forgiveness. This didn’t usually with their little arguments. No one ever really apologized. They just avoided each other and shot out a few insults until neither of them was angry with the other.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t fun to be the one that was being apologized to.

“It is okay,” Misha said. It was great and all, but Mike was going to waste the rest of lunch if he kept this up.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Sweet sauce,” Mike bounced back up onto his feet. “That’s great, big guy. I was wondering how much longer I was gonna have to do that.”

“Was getting less funny after a while,” Misha explained.

“Yeah yeah, whatever,” Mike rolled his eyes. “We gonna eat or what?”

 

* * *

 

 

Klaus found that he didn’t dislike Laurence.

He was eating the yogurt that he had been given slowly as he looked over his notes. He could see why Laurence hadn’t wanted to eat it; the Greek yogurt itself wasn’t exactly all that good but then some genius had also decided that it would be a great idea to throw some mushy bits of mango in it too.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers and Klaus was hungry.

“Taste alright?” Laurence asked him.

“No,” Klaus answered truthfully, “but it is better than nothing.”

Laurence gave a small hum in acknowledgement.

It was odd. The exchanging of their names seemed to break the ice between them. Not entirely, but talking to Laurence didn’t feel as weird anymore.

“So I must ask,” Klaus began after a small lapse of silence, “why was it that you came to this room last week?”

“I told you,” Klaus didn’t even have to look over to know that Laurence was rolling his eyes, “I wanted a quiet place to stay.”

“I know that much,” Klaus took another bite of the yogurt. It still didn’t taste any better despite his unfounded hope. “I suppose what I meant to ask is why then.” 

“Transferred here last week,” Laurence responded. 

“That makes more sense,” Klaus said. “I was wondering why some random student just so happened to wander in here during the middle of the year.” 

“Well now you know.” 

“Quite.” 

Quiet fell over them again. 

“I guess if we’re gonna be playing twenty questions then it’s my turn,” Laurence said. 

“Who said we were playing twenty questions?” 

“No one,” Laurence shrugged. “I’m bored and I don’t hate you so why not get to know you?”

“Fair enough.” Even if the logic was a bit odd, Klaus didn’t mind all that much. 

“What is it that you’re working on in here?”

“Personal work.”

“Well yeah, I know that. Give me some details here.”

“I suppose that you could say that I’m trying to create a medicine of sorts,” Klaus answered.

“Medicine?” Laurence seemed curious. “You gonna be a doctor?”

“I believe it’s my turn to ask a question,” Klaus pointed out.

“You didn’t give me a good answer, so it’s not,” Laurence argued. “So you hoping to be a doctor?”

“I’m not sure,” Klaus said at length. “I’m simply trying to create something to speed up the natural healing process of the human body. Is that sufficient information for you?”

“Yeah, sure,” Laurence admitted. “Your turn.”

Klaus fixed his gaze on the other. “Favorite color?”

An unimpressed eyebrow rose. “Really?”

Klaus scoffed. “It’s not like I can think of much else to ask.”

Laurence shook his head. “If you have to know, it’s red. But Christ, you’re awful at this.”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Woe is me, I can’t ask a good enough question about a person I hardly know, whatever shall I do.”

“Cry,” Laurence deadpanned.

“You’re hilarious.”

Yeah, he didn’t hate Laurence.

 

* * *

 

 

René couldn’t find Laurence by the time that lunch ended.

Sure, the school wasn’t tiny but it wasn’t huge either. He shouldn’t have had much of a problem finding one person unless Laurence had somehow turned invisible or left the school grounds.

And maybe his pride was a little hurt, too. René held his ability to know things in high esteem and the fact that he didn’t know where Laurence—someone who he knew quiet well—was irked him greatly.

He could simply track down the bushman and ask him where he ate his lunch, but that was no fun.

No, René would track him down. And scare him. Just a bit though.

 

* * *

 

 

Laurence couldn’t help but curse his luck when his arm somehow managed to catch on someone else’s papers and scatter them across the bustling hallway as people rushed to their next classes.

“Sorry mate—”

“ _You._ ”

Oh fuck it was the same guy from last week with the stupid blue bandana around his head.

“Uh, I’m sorry—”

“I thought I told you to watch where you’re going,” the giant snarled at him. If Laurence had been anyone else at that moment or less mature, he probably would have shit his pants. 

“You did,” Laurence tried to assure him. “It’s my fault, I can help you pick up—” 

“Mess with me one more time,” the bloke cut him off, “just one more time. See what happens. I dare you.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

He got one of the scariest glares in his directed at him in life.

Laurence made a hasty retreat. That guy as an enemy seemed like a _bad_ idea. 

 

* * *

 

 

Klaus looked up from his mess of handwritten equations as the door opened. Dell stepped inside.

“Hello,” Klaus greeted. He picked up the manila folder and held it out to the other. “I checked it over. I couldn’t find any major flaws in it.”

“Great, thanks for the help,” Dell said, taking the folder.

“Don’t you have class?” Klaus asked him. “Since you refuse to test out of them and all.”

“I got some time in between,” Dell told him. “Just thought I’d swing by to see if you were done with it.”

“Of course,” Klaus said. “Now go on, go play average intelligence for a while in your class.”

Dell frowned slightly. “I ain’t playing.”

Klaus rolled his eyes. “Dell, we both know perfectly well that you needn’t take any of the classes that are considered mandatory here. You could be spending your time working on your blueprints and building whatever your heart so desires instead of sitting through lectures and completing busy work.”

“I could,” Dell admitted, “but I only get to go through high school once. Why not make the most of it?”

Klaus sighed. “Have it your way. It’s not like I thought I could convince you otherwise.”

“See you, Klaus,” Dell waved. 

“Yes, goodbye.”

 

* * *

 

 

Laurence fought through the torrent of rushing students towards his father’s car. He swung the door open and gracefully flopped into the seat.

“Long day?”

“It’s Monday,” Laurence said. “Monday is evil. Of course it was a long day.”

“I’m sure it was,” his father laughed. “Now you get to go home and do homework.” 

“Oh joy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like this was really choppy. I don't like it all that much but I needed a filler chapter so here.


	4. Birds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to stop writing this. It's getting ridiculous.
> 
> Okay so there is probably going to Bushmedicine for two reasons:  
> 1) Those who have commented seem to want it.  
> 2) I ship it really really hard and probably would have done it anyway.
> 
> The ship won't be the main plot point, but it will be a ship that is present. So yeah. There you go.

Laurence was practically falling asleep as his father drove him to school.

His teachers, for whatever reason, decided to assign him a ludicrous amount of homework that had him staying up to about midnight. That wouldn’t have been all that bad except Laurence had to get out of bed at six in the bloody morning if he was to get to school on time.

“You alright there, Laurence?” His father asked him.

“Nah,” Laurence drawled sleepily. “I’m dead. Leave me.”

He could hear his father chuckle. “Look alive, son. We’re almost at the school.”

“I don’t wanna go,” Laurence whined. He was too tired to act mature, dammit.

“Too late.”

Laurence opened his eyes to see the high school. Great.

“Fine,” he grumbled. He grabbed at his bag. He then noticed the lack of students. “We early?”

“About twenty minutes,” his father said.

“So we could have left later,” Laurence felt his eyes narrow slightly, “and I could’ve gotten more sleep.”

“You know that traffic is unpredictable,” his father informed. “Have a good day at school, son.” 

“Not likely,” Laurence muttered under his breath. He waved goodbye anyway.

Well, time to go hide out with Klaus until school started.

Laurence entered the school, movements still sluggish from sleep. He went wide awake, however, when he felt arms reach around him from behind and _squeeze._

“Bloody _fuck—_ ”

His assailant let go and Laurence whipped around to give the bastard a good what for.

Brendan grinned at him, one hand waving at him erratically.

“Christ,” Laurence sighed, “you fucking scared me, you shit.”

Brendan was still grinning.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re hilarious,” Laurence rolled his eyes. “Any reason that you decided to attack me?”

Brendan shrugged nonchalantly. Laurence took it to mean ‘why wouldn’t I?’

“Just, I dunno, don’t do it again. Give a guy some warning next time.”

Brendan nodded at him. The redhead gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before walking off.

“Yeah, see you later,” Laurence called after him.

“Bushman.”

Laurence found himself turn in the opposite direction to see René. “Spook.”

René raised an eyebrow at him. “Spook? That’s new.”

“I know,” Laurence said. “Anything you want?”

“Yes, actually,” René pretended to be examining his fingernails. If Laurence hadn’t known René as well as he did, he would have believed that the frog was almost completely uninterested. But he did know René. And he knew his tells for when he tried to act like he didn’t care but he really did.

“Well spit it out,” Laurence crossed his arms.

“How do you know that…” René gestured in the general direction that Brendan had walked off in, “that _thing_?”

“Whoa, hold on there, mate,” Laurence held his hands up in a somewhat placating gesture. “What exactly do you have against Brendan? The bloke ain’t bad or nothing.” 

René sniffed indignantly. “I have nothing against him.”

“Oh no you don’t,” Laurence said. “A boon for a boon. You tell me what bone you have to pick with the guy and then I’ll tell you what you want to know.” 

René sighed. “Why can’t you just answer my questions like most other people?”

Laurence shrugged. “Maybe your aversion to giving up information is rubbing off on people.”

René scowled at him. Laurence smiled.

“I don’t know about him,” René said after a short silence.

“Okay, and?”

“Bushman, I don’t _know_ about him,” René repeated. “No one else seems to know much about him either. And he never speaks, Laurence. He just _stares_. I’ve asked him questions before, I’ve tried to converse with him and he won’t do anything except stare at me.”

Laurence regarded René for a few good seconds. Then he doubled over laughing. 

“What are you laughing at, you heathen?”

“Nothing,” Laurence clutched at his stomach. “Christ, I haven’t laughed like that in a good long time.”

“I highly doubt that it’s nothing,” René glared at him. “Now tell me about Brendan.”

“I’m good, thanks,” Laurence was still chuckling at the Frenchman.

“What do you mean, ‘you’re good’?” René hissed.

Laurence waved him off and started to make his way to the back labs. “See you around, frog.”

Laurence didn’t even have to look back to know that René was standing there staring after him, dumbfounded expression plastered to his face. But he did it anyway because he’d be damned if he missed it.

 

* * *

 

 

René watched as the utter barbarian walked away from him, a smug air radiating from the bushman. He had just been played. René had just been played at his own game.

If Laurence had been anyone else, and he did mean anyone, René would have gone after him and threatened to slit the bastards throat with a ballpoint pen. But this was Laurence. Even if the bushman didn’t hear him coming up behind him (which he probably would after years of René sneaking up on him), René knew that Laurence was well aware that the threat would be mostly empty. 

The only problem with having someone that knew you well was that they could push your buttons just as well as you could theirs.

“Merde,” René cursed once the convict was out of his line of sight. That hadn’t gone how he wanted it to. He had thought that he would finally get some knowledge regarding the silent enigma known as Brendan, but no. Laurence had decided to be difficult. 

Fine then.

René stalked off. He had to go find someone else to antagonize now. Misha and Mike were out of the question. Dell was getting less fun to sneak up on and generally annoy since the Texan seemed to finally building up a small immunity to him. He needed someone easy to enrage, preferably of lower intellect.

René smiled slightly. Jayne it was.

 

* * *

 

 

Laurence swung the slightly ajar door open. He immediately noticed that something was different.

In the week that he had been coming into the room, Klaus had always been working at one of two tables. It was either the one that was cluttered with notes or the one that had the science instruments and liquids on it. And no matter which table it was, Klaus always had his back to the far wall, facing the door.

But when Laurence entered that morning, Klaus was sitting down at one of the empty tables with his back to the door.

Laurence was perplexed.

“Everything alright?” Laurence asked, stepping into the room and closing the door.

Klaus swung his head around to meet his eyes. “In a sense of the word, yes.”

Well that didn’t really answer anything.

Laurence continued walking towards Klaus, forgoing his usual seat in the corner. Once he was close enough, he could see the white bird that lay on the table on top of a nest of rumpled clothing.

“That your pet?” Laurence inquired.

“I suppose,” Klaus said.

“You suppose?”

“Well not really.”

Okay, time for a different tactic. “Then what exactly is he?”

“A dove, I presume.”

It felt like he was talking to René. “Where’d he come from?”

Klaus shrugged. “He somehow flew into the room and managed to break his wing. I am trying to make a splint of sorts for him.”

Now that he mentioned it and he was looking for ir, Laurence could see the small wooden stick thing that was held onto the wing by some gauze and tape.

“Not gonna take him to the vet?” Laurence asked.

“They wouldn’t do much anything different,” Klaus answered, “and what would I tell them? ‘Yes, this dove flew into the school and broke its wing. He will now be in your care.’”

Laurence was still looking at the dove. “What are you going to do with him?”

Klaus shrugged again. “Have him stay here until he can fly again. Maybe I’ll keep him as a pet if I decide to do so.” 

“Your call,” Laurence said. “You gonna name him?” If you’re gonna keep him and all.”

Klaus regarded the bird. The dove’s eyes stared back at him. “Archimedes.”

“Archimedes?” Laurence asked.

“He looks like an Archimedes.”

Laurence huffed out a laugh. “Sure he does, mate.”

 

* * *

 

 

Dell watched in abject horror as Jayne shouted at René, the Frenchman simply giving the red-faced American a smug smirk. René had come up and started to make insults about America. Predictably, Jayne instantly jumped to defend his country.

“You don’t know anything!” Jayne barked. “America is a beautiful country filled with amazing people!”

“I doubt that,” René sneered. “That seems unlikely when your country is run by capitalist swine.”

“You take that back!”

“I’d sooner whither up and die in a bleak, grey landscape.”

“You’re saying it wrong.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re saying gray wrong. It’s G-R-A-Y.”

“You can’t even hear the difference, how would you possibly know?”

“You’re not American, of course that’s how you’re saying it.” 

“Boys,” Dell’s tone was stern. He had just about had enough of these two. “There ain’t a need to be fighting right now. Just calm down.”

“He insulted America!” Jayne protested.

“I know,” Dell pacified, “but that still don’t mean that you two need to be fighting so much.” Dell turned to René. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do René, but I reckon that it’d be best if you stopped.”

René fixed his with a steely look. “As you wish.”

And with that the Frenchman pivoted on his heel and sauntered off.

“What’s his problem?” Tavish wondered aloud.

“No idea,” Dell shook his head.

“He is a disgrace to this country,” Jayne grumbled.

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Dell said.

“I would.”

Dell sighed. He had a feeling that this was going to be a long day.

 

* * *

 

 

Laurence had somehow, thankfully, managed to survive his first two classes of the day. Sure, they weren’t terrible but he was tired. Was it really only Tuesday?

He ducked into the lab as soon as he came to the door.

“Hey,” he greeted. Klaus was writing down more notes. That was normal. What wasn’t normal was the white bird that was perched on his shoulder.

“Ah, Laurence, hello,” Klaus gave him a small wave.

“I see the little fella has made himself at home,” Laurence motioned his head at Archimedes.

“Yes, he has,” Klaus glanced at his shoulder. “Imagine my surprise when he climbed up my arm and decided to make it his own personal roost.”

Laurence chose not to answer to that. “How’s he doing?”

“As of now, he seems to be fine,” Klaus said, reaching up with his opposite arm to gently pet at the dove’s head. “He just needs some time to recover.”

“Mind if I hold him?” Laurence asked. When Klaus looked at him, he added, “I really love animals.”

“Be gentle,” Klaus warned.

“I will.”

Laurence cupped his hands, slowly, around the dove’s body. Archimedes adjusted his feet to rest on Laurence’s palms and Laurence reclined his arms to hold the bird against his chest.

“He’s very compliant,” Klaus commented. “I would have expected him to act a bit more wily.”

“Must feel pretty indebted to you,” Laurence teased. 

Klaus smirked. “Possibly.”

Laurence moved a finger over the dove’s body, stroking it over the soft feathers. “You’re a real beaut, ain’t you?”

Archimedes cooed at him.

“You should keep him,” Laurence addressed Klaus this time.

“I am,” Klaus said. “I’ve grown far too fond of him over such a short period of time.”

“Think the school will be alright with it?” Laurence gingerly placed Archimedes on the table. The bird went to quickly scramble to climb back up onto Klaus’s shoulder.

Klaus gave a soft laugh. “Frankly, the school does not give a shit about what I do here so long as it’s legal.”

“So Archimedes won’t be a problem.”

“Definitely not.”

“Good,” Laurence now went to take his seat. “You want the yogurt?”

Klaus’s face screwed up a bit. “I think I’ll pass, thank you.”

“Thought so,” Laurence chuckled. He reached into his backpack and produced a small plastic bag. “Here.”

“Wha—”

Laurence tossed the bag and Klaus managed to catch it despite the minimal warning. He blinked at the bag.

“It’s a sandwich,” Laurence elaborated. “You need to eat and like hell am I gonna force that yogurt down your throat. I have standards.”

Klaus stared at him a bit longer before smiling softly at Laurence. “Danke.”

“Danke?” Laurence asked.

“Ah, thank you,” Klaus translated. “I sometimes forget myself.” 

“It’s fine,” Laurence assured. “Now eat.”

 

* * *

 

 

“What’s got Jayne all miffed?” Mike asked Dell.

Tavish answered for the Texan. “René decided to pay a visit this morning and insult America to his face.”

Jayne muttered something about disgusting, dumb pastries.

“That damn frog,” Mike said. “He’s such a jerk.”

Dell sighed. “He ain’t that bad. He’s just a bit…”

“Unpatriotic?” Jayne supplied.

“Sleazy?” Mike joined in.

“Wrong?”

“Creepy?”

“Disgraceful?”

“The biggest fucktard ever?”

“He’s a bit difficult at times,” Dell cut the two off. So he didn’t like René all that much. That didn’t mean the Frenchie was a bad person. Probably.

“Whatever you say, hardhat,” Mike shrugged.

“Hardhat?” Misha questioned before Dell could.

“He builds stuff like a construction worker or some shit,” Mike explained, “and they where hardhats. I dunno, I thought it fit.”

“I don’t mind,” Dell said.

“So what brings you two here anyways?” Tavish glanced between Mike and Misha. “You hardly eat lunch with us.”

“Aw, c’mon guys,” Mike smiled, “can’t we just want to eat lunch with our friends?”

Misha was more honest. “Mike is scared René will come for him again.”

“I ain’t scared, not really. Just… you know, a teeny tiny bit nervous. Maybe.” 

Dell sighed. “You really think René is still going to try to go after you?”

“You can never be too safe,” Mike crossed his arms with a huff.

“He ain’t,” Tavish took a swig from his soda.

“What makes you so sure of that?” Mike narrowed his eyes at the Scotsman.

“Misha scares him,” Tavish replied. He turned to the Russian as he spoke his next words. “René thinks that you’ll tear him limb from limb if he gets you pissed off.”

Misha smirked at that. “Little man _should_ be scared.”

“Why isn’t he scared of me?” Mike whined. 

“Because you’re a pathetic maggot,” Jayne retorted.

“No I ain’t.”

“Yes you are.”

“No I—”

“Nope,” Dell interrupted. “We ain’t starting this. Not while I’m here at least. I don’t need to hear you two arguing like a couple of brats.”

“Sure,” Mike waved Dell off. “Speaking of the French sleazbag, where is he? Doesn’t he usually eat lunch with you guys?”

“He eats with us more often than not,” Tavish admitted, “but no where close to all the time.”

“Is probably smart enough to stay away when Jayne is angry,” Misha reasoned.

“Damn right he should avoid me! I’d kick his ass if he showed his disgusting face to me.”

“Maybe a mix of the two,” Dell shrugged, ignoring Jayne’s comment. “Don’t really matter where he is if he doesn’t show up.”

“I guess,” Mike said. “Better off for the rest of us that he’s not here if you ask me.”

“No one asked,” Misha pointed out.

Mike regarded Misha. He wasn’t sure if he was trying to make fun of him or just didn’t get it due to the language barrier. Deciding to play it safe, he responded, “It’s a figure of speech. And it does make sense. I said ‘if’.”

Misha nodded.

“You should just make English your first language,” Jayne advised.

“That’s not how it works,” Mike said.

“Wanna bet?”

 _Yup,_ Dell thought, _definitely gonna be a long day._

 

* * *

 

Laurence left the lab a bit before lunch ended in order to avoid the rush to class in a rather good mood. He and Klaus had spent the majority of the time talking to each other. Not about anything important, just talking. Klaus bemoaned that he would probably have to find a birdcage for Archimedes before Laurence pointed out that he could just shop online. From there, they complained about how some of the classrooms were way too cold considering it was early spring and bonded over the disgustingness that was the mango Greek yogurt. It was nice to talk to someone that had similar dislikes as he did.

He felt the last remnants of contentedness flood from his body when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, bushman?”

“What are you doing here?” Laurence didn’t even bother to look back. He simply kept walking.

“I followed you.” If it hadn’t been René, Laurence would have been surprised.

“What do you want, you bloody frog?”

“I wish to know why you are choosing to fraternize with some other student in a room that no one else is in,” René matched his pace to walk beside him.

“It’s quiet and it’s not crowded,” Laurence said. “I couldn’t find a better place to hang around on the first day and I’m fine with staying there during lunch.”

René hummed thoughtfully in a way that suggested he was calling bullshit.

“What?” Laurence groaned.

“Nothing,” René smiled at him, sharp as daggers. “I just find it impressive that a recluse such as yourself has already managed to obtain a boyfriend within his first two weeks at school.”

Laurence sneered at the Frenchman. “He ain’t my boyfriend—”

“And for it to be Klaus, at that,” Rene continued, his cheerful tone downright malicious. “He’s almost more of a loner than you, dear bushman, always in that lab of his. Just how did you get him to agree to let you court him?”

“We’re friends, if that at all,” Laurence could feel his patience wearing thin. “We eat lunch together. That’s it.”

René cast him a sly look. Laurence dared him to say his next words with a rather impressive glare.

“Yes, lunch, a simple meal,” René said slowly. “The kind without food, I presume.”

René was booking it down the hall before the last syllable had left his mouth.

Laurence gritted his teeth, storming through the hall.

It seemed that René had forgotten that they had the next class together. They were going to have a nice little _chat._

Of course, it was just Laurence’s luck that René was missing from the room and didn’t magically apparate when the bell rang. Bloody wuss had probably realized that it would be best to steer clear of him. That was too bad. Laurence really wanted to acquaint the frog’s face with his fist.

 

* * *

 

Laurence left the school once again, managing to not get completely pummeled as some asshole raced through the hallway, brandishing his backpack with wheels like some kind of lawnmower to cut through the crowd. Seriously, who even did that? 

He finally made it into the light of day and took a moment to feel the sun warm his skin. Today would be a good day to walk home. If he didn’t live so far away, that was.

He pressed forth and located his father’s car with ease and hopped in. He dismissed his father’s questions with short answers, still not in high spirits after René had taunted him. He spent the ride home entertaining revenge fantasies that grew more and more ridiculous as they went on. Even if never intended to get back at him, just picturing it was enough fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry but I had to add the boyfriend bit I'm a terrible person don't look at me.


End file.
